Printing mechanism for cash-registers or like machines.



No. 894,982. v PATENTED AUG. 4, 1908. A. J. POSTANS.

PRINTING MECHANISM FOR CASH REGISTERS OR LIKE MAGHINES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 27, 1907.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

.No. 894,982. PATENTED AUG. 4, 1908.

A. J. POSTANYS.

PRINTING MECHANISM FOR CASH REGISTERS OR LIKE MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 27, 1907.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

/l/ymw 9 h glow 1,0 Gi M No. 894,982. PATENTED AUG 1908.

. A. J. POSTANS. PRINTING MECHANISM FOR CASH REGISTERS 0R LIKE MACHINES.

APPLICATION TILED AUG. 27, 1907.

a snnmsamnm.

No. 894,982; YPATENTED" AUG. 4, 1908.

. A. J. POSTANS. PRINTING MECHANISM FOR CASH REGISTERS 0R LIKE MACHINES.

APPLICATION IILED AUG. 27,1907.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

No. 894,982. PATENTED AUG. '4, 1908.

' A. J. POSTANS. v PRINTING MECHANISM FOR CASH REGISTERS 0R LIKE MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 27, 1907.

a SHEETS-SHEET s.

PATENTED AUG. 4, 1908..

' I H A. J. POSTA'NS.

PRINTING MECHANISM FOR CASH REGISTERS 0R LIKE MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 27, 1907.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

UNITED STATES EALTENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR JAMES POSTANS, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE ADDER CASH REGISJER SYNDICATE LIMITED, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

PRINTING MECHANISM FOR CASH-REGISTERS OR LIKE MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 4:, 1908.

Application filed August 27, 1907. Serial No. 390,335.

is usually efieeted by rotatable printing drums and the present invention has for one of its objects to provide a simple form of mechai'iii-nn comprising an operating handle or key so connected with the printing drums, and with a. cooperating platen that when the he is moved, in one direction it first ei'ieets relative movement of the drums and platen for the purpose of printing; and then by its continued movement zeroizes the drums.

Any suitable form of zeroizing mechanism may be en'iployed for the (ll'UH'lS, but if it is desired to coo perato with the platen as stated above, such mechanism preferably comprises a earn-shaft that cooperates with. a of zeroizing' fingers. These latter move ontwardly prior to or during the operation of printing and then. :arry the drums round to the zero position after printing has taken place. "The mechanisn'i which operates the cam-shaft for zeroizing in. this case, is operatively connected with mechanism 'n'hertbv the platen is advanced for the purpose of printing and the same mechanism may return it to its normal position reiad for the next series of operations. If desired, however, separately operated zeroizing mechanisn'i may be employed, but this is not so eons veniei'it as it is desirable to perform the whole operation by the mo vement of one key.

The platen according to this invention is preferably loaded, for instance by a spring, and is normally retained by a n'io'vable stop in. such position that it is held away from the printing drums althou h its spring constantly tends to move it against the same. platen is conveniently mounted in a. pivoted frame to n hieh the spring: is attached. and an arm connected with the frame rests upon the movable stop whereby the advance of the platen. is prevented. A. key is (,nperativel'y l he connected. with the stop and at the first movement of the key, the stop is carried out from engagement with the platen carriage, so that the latter advances under the action of the spring, and the platen carrying the recording strip, strikes the printing drums so that the amount recorded thereon is printed. Further movement of the he then Zeroizes the drums as hereinafter described and returns the platen to its noriinal position by .n'reans of a cam. The cam at the same time advances an auxiliary stop whereby the platen carriage is held. in. position until the key is freed and allowed to return to its normal position; during this return the main stop is brought into position to engage the platen carriage and the auXiliar stop is displaced.

The particular form of Zeroizing mechanism preferred is described in in -v specification Ser. No. 39 ),334: of even date as it is applicale to mechanisms other than printing devices but it is also described in. the present specilicz'ttion so that all the cooperating parts of the printing mechanism 111a) be included in the one specification.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate one method of carrying o ut this invention, Figure l is side elevation of the printing mechanism with the platen in the normal position, Figs. 2, 3 and at are similar views showing die parts of the mechanism in different positions, Fig. 5 is plan of Fig. 1 with the platen sn'unc back bef ond normal position and the prin tin; drums removed, l ig. 6 shows on a larger scale the drums With their zeroizing mechanism viewed from the right of Fig. i, Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7*? of Fig. 6, Fig. 8 is an end elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 6 viewed from the right and Fig. 9 is a section on the line 9-4) of Fig. 6.

Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.

A key .lfi is pivoted at H to a suitable part of the frame of the machine, he lie v being of course accessible from outside the casing, While the parts connected. therewith lie mainly \vithin ehe casing. The lever if has a rear extension ll \vhicn slotted at H to receive a pin .l on. an arm 5. The arm J is carried by a shaft C free to reel: in bearings formed on a frame K. The shaft has fast upon it a toothed quadrant C that gears With a toothed wheel 7 This wheel is fast on a cam-shaft C forming part of the Zeroizing mechanism which is more particularly described with reference to Figs. 6 to 9, and concentrically mounted with the shaft are the printing drums A also described in detail in connection with the same igures. The shaft C" is controlled by a spring secured at one end to the quadrant C and at the other end to part of the frame of the machine, as for instance to the pin H whereon the lever ll is pivoted. The spring C thus always tends to turn the shaft in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 1:) and thereby retains the rack C in its normal position and also the key ii in the raised position against a stop H The platen L is rotatably carried on pivots L fast on a frame or carriage U. This frame comprises two side plates connected together by a rear wall L and by transverse rods L L (F 5). The lower ends of the platesare pivoted on a transverse spindle L. Free on the spindle L is a sleeve M carrying an arm M and at the end of this arm is a roller M The sleeve also carries two short arms M whose ends bear against the rear wall L of the platen frame. The frame is free to move relatively to the arms M" but is normally maintained against the latter by springs L which are connected to the transverse rod L at one end and to a fixed frame member K at the other end. The tension of the springs such that if the frame L were unchecked they would swing the same about the spindle L and bring the platen L against the recording drums A. Normally, however, the platen is maintained free of the drums in the position shown in Fig. 1. This is e'flected by a movable stop h which is shaped at its end to receive the roller M of the arm M. The stop N is carried fast on the rocking shaft C" and in advance of it and situated in the same plane the stop and also fast upon this shaft is a cam or c ant-faced arm N The arm X has a pin X which projects in a direction away from the observer (Figs. 1 and 5) and the arm N carries similar pin N. Between these two pins and loose upon the shaft is an auxiliary stop 0 whose end 0 is shaped to receive the roller M of the arm M It will be seen that the platen L is thus loaded or spring-controlled, so that immediately the arm M is released it is drawn forward by the springs L until it is arrested by the drums A.

The drums have cut on their faces a series of figures as indicated by the ciphers (Fig. 6) and the operating mechanism of the drums is connected with the keys of the cash register in such manner that after any item has been recorded on the machine by depressing the proper keys the drums will be turned into such positions as to bring the numbers corresponding to such item into printing position. After the operator has thus recorded the item on the machine, he depresses the key H and in doing so rocks the shaft C in clockwise direction. The first movement of the key thus carries the movable stop N from under the roller 1P whereby the frame or carriage L is released so that the springs L cause the platen L to strike against the drums A. The platen carries a paper strip indicated at K (Fig. 1) which is fed around the same between suitable guides and a ribbon is interposed between the platen and drums it so that an ink impression is made upon the paper strip. its such ribbon mechanism and paper guides form no part of the present invention, there is no need to describe these in detail and the ribbon with this mechanism is omitted for the sake of clearness, fromv the drawings.

In part of the frame K of the machine is av resilient stop or buffer F (Figs. 1 and .3). This stop comprises a plunger controlled by a spring P and the spring is stilliciently strong to force the platen carriage back against the action of the springs L immediately after the platen has been arrested by the type drums. This plunger is alined to bear against the transverse rod L of the platen carriage.

In. Fig. 2 the platen is shown in the printing position, its momentum having caused it to force the plunger l back against its spring but directly the platen and its carriage are arrested by the type drums they resume the position indicated by the chain line circle L shown in that figure. The roller M now lies in the recess between the stop N and the cam N so that further downward movement of the key ll forces the cam against the roller and thus lifts the arm 1T into the position shown in Fig. 3-}. its the arms M carried on the same sleeve as the arm M and bear against the rear wall L of the platen carriage L this movement causes the carriage also to be swung back against the action of the s i rings l]. In Fig. 3 the roller is shown nearly at the top of the cam X and the pin X carried by the cam has come into contact with the auxiliary stop O so that this has been moved. rearwardly. The engaging end. O of the stop is shaped so that its rearward end lies slightly above the cam as shown at 0 while the engaging portion 0 already referred. to lies flush with or below the cam. It thus follows that a still further downward movement of the key ll causes the part 0* of the auxiliary stop to be forced under the roller M of the arm M so that the roller enters the recess 0% as shown in Fig. l. The key H has now been carried to the limit of its downward movement, so that it bears against a stop ll" conveniently carried by the casing of the machine, part of which is shown at ll, and it next released for the purpose of permitting it' to return to its normal position under the action of the spring C. During the return movement of the key the shaft C is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction so that the cam N is carried away from the roller M which latter continues to be supported by the auxiliary stop 0. Before, however the key H arrives at its normal position the pin N on the movable stop N comes into contact with the auxiliary stop and pushes the same in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 4.) from beneath the roller. As hoiw ever the auxiliary stop is removed. from under the roller the main stop N comes beneath the same when all the parts resume the position shown in Fig. 1.

It should be noted that the projection on the auxiliary stop O is rounded so that when the stop N is carried from beneath the roller M it shall not be detained by the auxiliary stop 0. This latter stop being free may come into contact with. the roller as it is released from the stop N but by rounding the projection O as described it will be forced back by the roller the latter descends so as not to interfere with the release of the platen.

The downward movement of the key ii in addition to first releasing the spring-controlled platen L and then returning it to its normal position, also zeroizes the printing drums A. This is effected by the rack C which meshes with the pinion C of the zeroizing mechanism which latter is hereinafter fully described with reference to figs. 6 to 9, but it should be noted. that the key at the beginning of its movement effects the printing while its continued movement in the same direction zeroizes the drums; moreover the movement of the one key prints, zeroizes the drums and returns the platen mechanism to the normal position.

Pivoted at Q, to one of the side plates of the platen carriage L is an arm Q. This arn'r has pivoted to it at one end a pawl Q (Fig. 1) which engages a ratchet wheel Q" fast on the platen ll. That end of the arm or lever Q remote from the pawl Q has a cam-face Q adapted to cooperate with a stop QT fast on tire frame of the machine. The lever Q is maintained in contact with the stop by a spring Q.

The operation of this mechanisn'i is as follows :Nhen the platen. carriage is released. so that it advances to the printing position the lever Q is rocked. by its spring, about its pivot Q so that the end which cooperates with the stop rises as shown in Pig. 2 and the pawl thereby drawn back one tooth over the ratchet Q3. it follows therefore that as the platen-carriage is returned to the normal position the :am-faced end of the lever will be depressed, as the part Q" passes under the stop QT, and thus the pawl Q will now be advanced and carry the ratchet wl'ieel Q" forward one tooth. By

this means the platen. is rotated one step at sition.

It will be seen that when the platen is in the normal position the stop engages the 1 extreme end of the cam-face Q and the lever l Q has an extension Q whose outer face is concentric with the center L about which. l @116 p aten carriage turns when the lever is in the position shown in Fig. 1. F

I each movement away from the printing pol l l l l The object of this arrangement is to permit the platen carriage to be swung back against the action of its springs L into the position indicated in chain line in Fig. l. so that the item last recorded can he read. The platen carriage preferably lies entirely outside the casing of the machine, but the recorded amount cannot be conveniently read without thus swinging it back. This l'iackward movement however does not effect rotation of the platen as the extension Q is then in engagement with the stop Q so that the lever Q does not move relatively to the platen carriage. The arms M do not interfere with this backward movement of the carriage as they have no connection with the carriage but only serve as steps against which. the rear wall L of the carriage is made to bear, as already described, by the action of the springs li. e

T he Zeroizing mechanism is constructed as follows :-The drums A are mounted. free on a rotatable sleeve B carried in brackets 13*. The normal driving mechanism for the drums is of known construction and comprises a toothed quadrant A which engages a pinion A also mounted free upon the sleeve B. The pinion carries a disk A whereon is pivoted at A a spring-controlled pawl A Each drum has secured to it either directly or through the medium of a sleeve A a disk A having a series of pins A which serve as teeth wherewith the pawl A cooperates. The quadrants A are actuated by the keys of the machine and. move a greater or less distance according to the value of the key that is operated. Any mechanism may be use '1 for this purpose such for example as that described in my earlier patent No. 7 86,839 and it may be assumed that the mechanism is arranged in such manner that when the key is depressed the quadrant is moved in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 9 and draws the pawl A back over the pins A The mechanism is spring controlled whereby on releasing the key the quadrant is returned and the pawl now engaging with the last pin over which it was withdrawn carries the drum A round with it until it again arrives at the position of rest. It will thus be seen that each of the drums is brought round to varying positions according to the number and the value of the keys operated whereby numbers of different values on the drums A are brought into the printing position. As .iowever, it is desired. to print each. item rr-iicorded upon the machine, these drums must be set back to the zero position after each printed record has been made.

To effect the zeroizing a series of collars or casings B secured on the hollow shaft or sleeve B, one collar being allotted to each drum A. The collar has a radial lug B and mounted in this portion is a setting finger or pin B The pin B has an enlarged head B and is surrounded by a spring B which bears at one end against the head B and at. the other end against the interior of the lug so that it always tends to advance the pin towards the center of the sleeve B and the sleeve is perforated to allow the passage of the head thercthrough. Vithin the sleeve B is the cam shaft C already referred to. This shaft is recessed as at C opposite each pin B, and when the cam shaft is in its normal position relatively to the sleeve the recesses C lie directly beneath the pins so that the latter are advanced into them; the outer end of each pin then lies within the lug B of its casing B At one end the cam shaft O carries the pinion C which has already been described as meshing with the toothed quadrant C" and at the other end the shaft carries a radial pin C (Fig. 8) which is situated adjacent to a disk B carried fast on the sleeve B. On the disk are two pins B B which lie in the path of the pin C so that while the shaft O is allowed a certain amount of free movement relatively to the sleeve B it finally engages the sleeve B by means of its pin O and one of the pins of the disk B. The object of perniiiting this free movement is to enable the shaft C to be turned so that the recesses O therein may be carried away from the pins B as shown in Fig. 7 before the sleeve B com niencesto rotate and in order that the sleeve may be held stationary while this operation is effected the disk B has in it a notch B and cooperating therewith is a spring-controlled detent D. This disk B thus serves as a cam and the detent or follower D drops into the notch B when this is brought into such positioii that it registers therewith, but the engaging portion of the detent is so shaped that when the disk is forcibly turned the detent will be made to rise out of the notch against the action of its spring.

With the mechanism arranged as shown in the drawings zeroizing is effected by turning the drums A in a direction opposite to that of their normal travel and as the pawls A" prevent movement-in this direction it is necessary to disengage them before zeroizing can be effected. Obviously the mechanism might be arranged to zeroize by movement in the same direction that in which they normally travel, but as it is always necessary in these machines to provide some locking device whereby over-running may be prevented, there would still be t when the drum is moving in the normal disome pawl or equivalent device to release before zeroizing could be effected To release any such locking mechanism (in this case the pawls A) the movement of the retarding detent D is taken advantage of. l or this purpose it is coiniected by a link D to an arm E fast on a rocking shaft E carried in brackets On the rocking shaft is a series of arms E one of which is allotted to each pawl A". When the parts are at rest, that is when the keys of the machine are all released. so that they assume their normal positions, the pawls A are all brought round by means of the quadrants A and pinions A to the position shown in Fig. 9 and each pawl carries a pin A". The arms E on the rocking shaft E are so alined relatively to these pins that whenthe shaft is in its inoperative position, that is when the detent D lies in the notch B of the disk B the arms lie clear of the pawls X as shown in l ig. 8, but when the detent is forced. out of the notch the shaft E is rocked so that the arms advance and engage the pins ii" on the pawls whereby the latter are pushed back out of engagement with the pin teeth A of the drums.

The operation of this mechanism is as follows The quadrant C is advanced in a clockwise direction as already stated by the depression of the key ll and consequently the shaft C will be rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow in l ig. \l hen the shaft C is in its normal position the pin lies against the pin B and consequently dur ing the first quarter of a revolution the shaft advances without imparting movement to the sleeve B, this being held as already described by the detent D. LflCl' the first quarter of a revolution the pin C" is brought against the pin B on the disk B, but before it reaches the same the recesses on the shaft have een carried away from the pins B, see i 7, so that these have been moved outwardly against the action of their springs B". rurther move rent of the shaft t, now causes the sleeve B to rotate by means of the engagement of the pins C B and the pins B are carried round with the sleeve. Each drum A has on it a pin A whith is in. sin-h position that it clears the lugs B" of the collar B allotted to that drum, but lies in the path of the pin B when this is in the advanced position. The quadrant C is moved a sufficient distance to rotate the sleeve B through a (omplete revolution so that whatever position earh drum is in the pin B allotted thereto will strike the pin ii on the drum and carry it round until movement of the shaft is arrested. To insure that the drums shall be properly brought to zero a spring-controlled pawl i is allotted to each drum and cooperates with the pin A. This pawl allows the pin to pass freely beneath it Cir sa ness rection, see the arrow Fig. 7, but when the drum is moved in the reverse direction as for zeroizing it engages the pin A when the drum has been brought round to the zero position. In Fig. 7 the parts are shown in the position they ocupy when. the shaft 0 has ust completed its movement and it will be seen that the pin A3 is locked between the pin 13" and the detent F, the drum be ing in the zero position.

When the key H has been released the quadrant C" and also the shaft Ct automatically return to their normal position and in so doing the quadrant by means of the pinion C returns the shaft C to its normal position. During the first quarter of a revolution in the return movement of the shaft C the sleeve B may or may not move with it, that is to say if the friction between the sleeve and shaft is greater than. that between the sleeve and its bearings 13* the sleeve will follow the shaft, but if the reverse is the case the sleeve will be held by the bearing until the pin 6 comes into contact with the pin B when the sleeve will be carried round until the shaft comes to rest at its normal position. Nhen the shaft has come to rest the sleeve B will have been returned to the position shown in Fig. 8 so that the detent D once again engages the no tch B of the disk B. It will be seen that if the sleeve is not held by the bearing the sleeve B will travel round with the shaft until the detent D enters the notch B when the sleeve will be arrested and the shaft 0 will continue its movement indepei'nlently until the pin C once again lies against the pin B As the detent 1) drops into the notch B it rocks the shaft E back to its release position so that the pawls A of the drums are. again operative.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In printing mechanism for recording machine the combination of, a rotatable recording unit, a platen opposed to the unit and movable to and from the same, a spring that always tends to move the platen towards the recording unit, a movable stop that normally retains the platen away from the unit, a cam movable with this stop, a controlling member operatively connected with the cam and stop in such manner that displacement of the stop releases the platen for printing and continued movement of the controlling .n'iember brings the cam into operation to return the platen, an auxiliary stop, operative connection between the auxiliary stop and the controlling member whereby the stop is brought into position. to temporarily hold the platen in its inoperative position when the cam has returned it and operative connection between the controlling member and the auxiliary stop whereby the latter displaced on the return movement of the member as the main stop is again returned to position by the return movement controlling member, substantially as set forth.

2. in printing mechanism for a recording machine the combination of, a rotatable recording unit, means for operating this unit, a platen opposed to the unit and movable to and from the same, a spring that always tends to move the platen towards the recording unit, a movable stop that normally retains the platen away from the unit, an auX iliary stop for retaining the platen in its nor mal position away from the recording unit, a movable controlling member, means operatively connecting the movable stop with. the controlling member so that movement of the latter in one direction displaces the stop and permits the advance of the platen. for printing, means o 'ieratively connecting the controlling member with the platen so that continued movement of the member returns the platen to its normal position, means operatively coni'iecting the auxiliary stop with the controlling member so that this is brought by the latter into position to retain the platen in its withdrawn position, and means operatively connecting the movable stop with the auxiliary stop in such manner that the completed. movement of the controlling member causes the movable stop to displace the auxiliary stop and engage the platen without releasingthe platen, substantially as set forth.

3. In printing mechanism for a recording machine the combination of, a rotatable recording unit, means for operating this unit, a platen opposed to the unit and movable to and from the same, a spring that always tends to move the platen towards the recordlng unit, a rock-shaft, a controlling member for operating the rock-shaft, a stop carried by the rock shaft and so disposed that when the rock-shaft is in its normal position the stop retains the platen away from the recording unit, a cam carried by the rock-shaft but disposed thereon in a different angular posi tion from that occupied by the stop and arranged to engage and return the platen after the rock-shaft has been moved to release the platen by advancing the stop, an auxiliary stop having limited free movement relatively to the rock-shaft, means foroperatively connecting the rock-shaft with this stop in such manner that when. the shaft is turned to advance the cam against the platenv the auxiliary stop is brought into the path of the platen and locks the same in its withdrawn positionduring the return movement ofthe rock-shaft and means for displacing the auX iliary stop when the movable stop is returned by the rock-shaft without releasing the platen, substantially as set forth.

l. In printing mechanism for a recording machine, the combination of, a rotatable irecording unit, means for operating this unit, a

pivoted frame, a platen carried thereby and l opposed to the unit, a spring that always 1' tends to move the platen frame towards the recording unit, a movable stop to retain the platen frame normally away from the unit and that permits the same to be moved beyond such normal position in. direction away from the unit, and a controlling member having operative connection with the stop in such manner that it displaces the stop when the member is moved to etlect printing. substantially as set forth.

5. In printing mechanism for a recording machine the combination of, a rotatable recording uni t, means for operating this unit, a pivoted frame, a platen rotatably carried thereby and opposed to the unit, a spring that always tends to move the platen frame towards the recording unit, a movable stop to retain the platen frame normally away i from the unit and that permits the same to be moved beyond such normal position in a. direction away from the unit, a spring-coir trolled arm pivoted to the platen frame and having engagement with a stationary stop in such manner that the normal movement of the frame causes the arm to rock by reason of its engagement with the stationary stop, an ext ension to the arm so disposed that when the frame is swung back beyond the normal position it retains its engagement with the stationary stop but is not moved about its pivot, a pawl on the arm, and a cooperating ratchet on the platen the displacement of the arm caused by the movement of the platen frame being sutlicient to advance the ratchet step by step, substantially as set forth.

6. In printing mechanism for a recording machine the COlllblllittltHl of, a rotatable re- I cording unit, means for operating this unit. a

platen opposed to the unit and movable to and from the same. a spring that always 1 tends to move the platen towards the recording unit, a movable stop that normally retains the platen away from the unit, a controlling member having operative connection with the stop in such. manner that it displaces the stop when the member is moved to ell'ect printing and a yielding stop to check the advance of the platen under the action of its spring the stop being so adjusted that when the platen is arrested thereby it first yields and allows the platen to strike the recording unit and then returns the platen clear of the unit, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I. have signed, my name to this speci'lication in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ARTHUR JAMES POSTAXS. Witnesses:

A. M. Havwann, Hannv B. BRIDGE. 

